The invention relates generally to a tuning device for a stringed musical instrument and more particularly to a tuning device capable of tuning a string of the instrument to a first pitch, and of subsequently changing the pitch of the same string to a second pitch, and of repeatably and rapidly changing between the first pitch and the second pitch during the playing of the instrument.
There are known devices for enabling the player of an instrument to change the pitch of a particular string while playing the instrument. Some of these are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,674,909; 3,000,253; 2,771,808; 2,644,360; and 2,453,572. When the effect sought by changing the pitch of a string is a sliding of the pitch away from one note and back again as is done in Hawaiian music, the pitch changing device need only be capable of returning to the first pitch at the end of the slide. But when the effect sought is to change the pitch of a string from a first note to a second note and to play the instrument with the string tuned to the second note, the pitch changing device must be able to quickly and accurately tune to the second note.